diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 17cb04d9bd..7bf69434a5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -36,10 +36,17 @@ BIN=bin
 LIB=$(shell pwd)/urb
 
 RM=rm -f
+ifneq ($(UNAME),FreeBSD)
 CC=gcc
 CXX=g++
 CXXFLAGS=$(CFLAGS)
 CLD=g++ -O3 -L/usr/local/lib -L/opt/local/lib
+else
+CC=cc
+CXX=c++
+CXXFLAGS=$(CFLAGS)
+CLD=c++ -O3 -L/usr/local/lib -L/opt/local/lib
+endif
 
 ifeq ($(OS),osx)
   COSFLAGS=-fno-diagnostics-fixit-info
diff --git a/README.markdown b/README.markdown
index 12694c5456..0799d1a1e1 100644
--- a/README.markdown
+++ b/README.markdown
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ urbit depends on:
 
     sudo port install git gmp libsigsegv openssl autoconf automake cmake
 
+#### FreeBSD
+
+    pkg install gmake gmp libsigsegv openssl automake autoconf ragel cmake re2c libtool
+
 Although `automake`/`autoconf`/`libtool` are generally installed by
 default, some have reported needing to uninstall and reinstall those
 three packages, at least with Homebrew. Your mileage may vary.
@@ -74,6 +78,8 @@ Just run `make`:
 
     make
 
+(On FreeBSD, use `gmake` instead.)
+
 Run
 ---
 
diff --git a/i/c/portable.h b/i/c/portable.h
index 4cbf0a3c71..6c2e6cea02 100644
--- a/i/c/portable.h
+++ b/i/c/portable.h
@@ -146,10 +146,12 @@
 
 /* Sync
  */
-#      if defined(U3_OS_linux) || defined(U3_OS_bsd)
+#      if defined(U3_OS_linux)
 #        define c3_sync(fd) (fdatasync(fd))
 #      elif defined(U3_OS_osx)
 #        define c3_sync(fd) (fcntl(fd, F_FULLFSYNC, 0))
+#      elif defined(U3_OS_bsd)
+#        define c3_sync(fd) (fsync(fd))
 #      else
 #        error "port: sync"
 #      endif
diff --git a/outside/anachronism/Makefile b/outside/anachronism/Makefile
index 729a33dac5..123576f13c 100644
--- a/outside/anachronism/Makefile
+++ b/outside/anachronism/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 SHELL = sh
+UNAME = $(shell uname)
 
+ifneq ($(UNAME),FreeBSD)
 CC     = gcc
+else
+CC     = cc
+endif
 FLAGS  = -c -fPIC -Iinclude/
 CFLAGS = --pedantic -Wall -Wextra -march=native -std=gnu99
 INCLUDE = include/anachronism